Hello,
I'm Ciaran Crossey, a researcher based here in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As you can see from the link below, I'm engaged in research into Irish involvement in the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War.

Why contact you? One of the Irish volunteers, Pat Read, is reported to have died in Chicago in the 1940's - can anyone help with details? Also spelt Reid, Reade.

He'd been born (25 Feb. 1899) onboard a ship going from Dublin to England. His family then spent a lot of time moving around, but a key point is that Pat stayed in Canada after the family moved there in 1912 from Liverpool. In World War one he served with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces and returned to Canada after his service. In 1921 he moved to Cork. In his three year stay in Ireland he joined the Communist Party of Ireland and the anti-treaty forces in the Irish Civil War.

From 1924 -32 he was in England then he moved to America. In the USA he joined the Industrial Workers of the World, the anarchist trade union.


With the start of the Spanish Civil War he decided to go, arriving in Paris with a group of 6 others who had apparently been sent by the American Socialist Party. He travelled over the Pyrenees and got to Figueras in February 1937. Because of his World War 1 experiences Reade was named as drill master of his group. the problem was that Reade, as an anarchist, didn't believe in it. "As a result, our group would often sit around in a circle, listening to Pat relate his experiences." Despite Reade's position on training the group of soldiers did get about 10 days intensive drilling, marching, etc. He refused to take or give orders, opposing discipline "of any kind....As we'd march to town, Pat would always, intentionally, be out of step."

After Spain he approached the Irish Legation in Paris for a passport. Given his nomadic past and his politics, it came as no surprise when this was refused!

Died of pneumonia in Chicago in the late 1940s.

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While I have some more details of his time in Spain, can anyone help with his American periods? Is there any way of saying when he died? Where could he be buried?

Anyhow, thanks in advance for your time.

Ciaran Crossey
2nd Floor
13 Lombard St
Belfast
Northern Ireland.

ps, If your group can't help, could you possibly point me in the direction of anyone else you think may be able to help.